diff --git a/block/src/lib.rs b/block/src/lib.rs
index d988a1399..560010e26 100644
--- a/block/src/lib.rs
+++ b/block/src/lib.rs
@@ -232,6 +232,11 @@ pub struct AlignedOperation {
     layout: Layout,
 }
 
+pub struct ExecuteAsync {
+    // `true` if the execution will complete asynchronously
+    pub async_complete: bool,
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Request {
     pub request_type: RequestType,
@@ -397,7 +402,7 @@ impl Request {
         disk_image: &mut dyn AsyncIo,
         serial: &[u8],
         user_data: u64,
-    ) -> result::Result<bool, ExecuteError> {
+    ) -> result::Result<ExecuteAsync, ExecuteError> {
         let sector = self.sector;
         let request_type = self.request_type;
         let offset = (sector << SECTOR_SHIFT) as libc::off_t;
@@ -473,6 +478,9 @@ impl Request {
             iovecs.push(iovec);
         }
 
+        let mut ret = ExecuteAsync {
+            async_complete: true,
+        };
         // Queue operations expected to be submitted.
         match request_type {
             RequestType::In => {
@@ -507,12 +515,13 @@ impl Request {
                 }
                 mem.write_slice(serial, data_addr)
                     .map_err(ExecuteError::Write)?;
-                return Ok(false);
+                ret.async_complete = false;
+                return Ok(ret);
             }
             RequestType::Unsupported(t) => return Err(ExecuteError::Unsupported(t)),
         }
 
-        Ok(true)
+        Ok(ret)
     }
 
     pub fn complete_async(&mut self) -> result::Result<(), Error> {
diff --git a/virtio-devices/src/block.rs b/virtio-devices/src/block.rs
index 7e337ad5b..f301294b4 100644
--- a/virtio-devices/src/block.rs
+++ b/virtio-devices/src/block.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ use std::{io, result};
 use anyhow::anyhow;
 use block::async_io::{AsyncIo, AsyncIoError, DiskFile};
 use block::fcntl::{get_lock_state, LockError, LockType};
-use block::{build_serial, fcntl, ExecuteError, Request, RequestType, VirtioBlockConfig};
+use block::{
+    build_serial, fcntl, ExecuteAsync, ExecuteError, Request, RequestType, VirtioBlockConfig,
+};
 use rate_limiter::group::{RateLimiterGroup, RateLimiterGroupHandle};
 use rate_limiter::TokenType;
 use seccompiler::SeccompAction;
@@ -232,7 +234,11 @@ impl BlockEpollHandler {
                 desc_chain.head_index() as u64,
             );
 
-            if let Ok(true) = result {
+            if let Ok(ExecuteAsync {
+                async_complete: true,
+                ..
+            }) = result
+            {
                 self.inflight_requests
                     .push_back((desc_chain.head_index(), request));
             } else {